If Sublime with Rome -- that is, Sublime without Brad Nowell -- is not Sublime at all, as so many haters contend, does that also mean that Billy Corgan plus three hired guns shouldn't really be considered the Smashing Pumpkins?

Regardless, Corgan has been carrying on as such lately, issuing his 44-song opus Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, one free download at a time, as he has them ready for marketplace. He's pretty much been getting raves so far, too, or at least for the four tracks (collective subtitle: Songs for a Sailor) that have been released since late last year. At that pace, most of his generation may have retired by the time he puts out the 11th four-cut EP in the series.

No further lineup details about the event have been revealed, apart from Slash being named the honoree of an Aug. 26 tribute at the nearby House of Blues. As they did last year, when 10,000 people turned out, organizers will once again close off Sunset Boulevard from San Vincente Boulevard to Doheny Drive in order to set up two stages, food vendors and a beer garden, plus all the Sunset Strip clubs will be hosting performances open to attendees of the SSMF.

Yet, with only a headliner having been announced, general-admission ($49.50 in advance, $65 day of show) and VIP ($100) and three-day VIP tickets ($250, including access to the Slash salute) are on sale now. There also will be individual ticket sales for Sunset Strip clubs on Aug. 26 and 27. The SSMF is donating a portion of all tickets sold to the Los Angeles Youth Network, a charity personally selected by Slash.

Audiotistic, a mostly hip-hop and electro bash billed as "the future sound festival" and brought to you by the same Insomniac minds that bring more than 100,000 people out to Electric Daisy Carnival each year, will return July 24 to the NOS (National Orange Show) Events Center in San Bernardino. Slated to perform: Kid Cudi (who reportedly will unveil new material from a coming fall release), Bassnectar, A-Trak, Marco V, Talib Kweli& DJ Hi-Tek, N.A.S.A., the Cool Kids and more. Tickets are $40.

Good news for fans of the Judds: Naomi and Wynonna, last seen in California when they played a one-off set at Stagecoach in 2008, have announced their first proper tour in a decade, with a Nokia Theatre stop planned for Dec. 15. Stay tuned for on-sale info.

Meanwhile, Garth Brooks has announced 15 more dates at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas – Sept. 10-12, Oct. 1-3 and 22-24, Nov. 5-7 and 19-21. All shows go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m., and for the first time through Ticketmaster. Per the press release, "please note that the name for each individual ticket holder must be provided at time of purchase or the transaction will be canceled."

Roger Waters has added a fifth – and final! – Southern California performance of The Wall, Dec. 5 at Staples Center. Tickets, $55-$250, are on sale Monday at 10 a.m.

Speaking of adding dates, the Black Keys have a second show at the Hollywood Palladium, so now it's Sept. 27-28, with Nicole Atkins opening. Tickets for the additional date (the 28th), $30, are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Also, if you missed the xx's shows at the Fox and the Wiltern two weeks ago, you've got another chance: Sept. 22 at the Palladium, $27.50, on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Look for Them Crooked Vultures to play two gigs -- July 5 in London and a to-be-announced date in Los Angeles -- to benefit Brian O'Connor, Eagles of Death Metal bassist, who just underwent cancer surgery and starts chemotherapy in three weeks, all without any health insurance. More info when we know.

Also at Gibson is a sharp-looking multi-act bill of a completely different sort: the Bud Superfest, Aug. 14, featuring four of the finest practitioners of modern soul: Anthony Hamilton (pictured), Kem, Jaheim and Raheem DeVaughn. Tickets, $49.75-$89.85, are on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

And look for Meat Loaf to play Gibson, behind his new album Hang Cool Teddy Bear, on Aug. 12, $29.75-$89.75, on sale June 26.

Look for Steely Dan's Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs (who just turned 66 at his Grove of Anaheim gig last week) to join forces under the moniker the Dukes of September Rhythm Revue for a nationwide tour later this year, with stops Sept. 29 at the Greek and Oct. 2 at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Check back for on-sale details.

In kids-show news: the Wiggles return to Gibson Amphitheatre for two performances (1:30 and 5 p.m.) on Aug. 1, $20-$90, on sale Friday at 10 a.m ... and remember reading last week about those Storytime Live! shows at Nokia Theatre in mid-October? Little did I know that attraction is also coming to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for six performances (11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. each day) on Oct. 30-31. No need to drive to L.A. unless the dates work better for you. Ticket prices start at $15.

The Angel brothers and the rest of the Mexican pop outfit Los Temerarios will perform Sept. 15 at Nokia Theatre. Tickets, $52.50-$123.50, are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

At the other end of the L.A. Live plaza, regrouped Primus now has two shows, Sept. 16-17, at Club Nokia. Tickets, $39.50 in advance, $42.50 day of show and $49.50 for VIP, also are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Also at Club Nokia: punk groups Screeching Weasel and the Dollyrots, Sept. 19, $24.50 in advance, $26.50 day of show, on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Local Natives, the Silver Lake favorite with O.C. roots whose February debut Gorilla Manor is a must-hear this year, will headline Sept. 17 at the Music Box, with one of O.C.'s finest, the Union Line, opening. Tickets, $18.50, are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Also at the Music Box: the Books, Nov. 29, $22.50, on sale Monday at 10 a.m. ... and long-running retro-ska group Hepcat, Aug. 20, $22, on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

Hepcat also will play Aug. 14 at House of Blues Anaheim, $17.50, while the tribute band Rolling the Stones appears there Aug. 6, $12.50 in advance, $15 day of show, and the Yonder Mountain String Band headlines the Downtown Disney club on Aug. 12, $17.50 in advance, $22.50 day of show.

Also at the club: Locally Grunge featuring Everlong, Plush, Nearvana and Audiogarden, July 2, $10 ... another O.C. music showcase featuring Canvas, Denny White and the Relative Strangers, July 8, $10 ... Glen and the Sunshine Gang with Beta Wolf, Walk the Rio and So Long Davey, July 16, $10 ... Pesado, July 30, $37.50 ... Dahga Bloom (formerly the Living Suns) with the Growlers, My Pet Saddle, Lumerians, Cosmonauts and Free the Robots, July 31, $10 ... and Volbeat with Dommin, Aug. 27, $15. All of those are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Yonder Mountain String Band, meanwhile, also plays Aug. 20 at House of Blues Sunset Strip, $15 in advance, $20 day of show, on sale as of 10 a.m. Also headed to the West Hollywood House: Pesado, July 24, $37.50 ... Reverend Horton Heat with Split Lip Rayfield and Hillstomp, Aug. 13, $22.50 in advance, $25 day of show ... and Great Big Sea, Nov. 5, $22.50 in advance, $25 day of show.

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